


Star Wars: Pathways

by Captain_Kiri_Storm



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Aftermath of Slavery, Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arion is Alive, Darth Maul Tries, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Escape, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Jealousy, M/M, Mpreg, Obi-Wan Needs a Hug, Poor Obi-Wan, Rape Aftermath, Savage Means Well, Shock Collars, Slave Obi-Wan, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-01-28 08:23:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 20,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12602396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_Kiri_Storm/pseuds/Captain_Kiri_Storm
Summary: It was a mission gone wrong.They were supposed to find him, take him away from the living nightmare that had became his life. They were supposed to take him away from all of that and take him back home to the mindhealers. The help, though, ever came. He was abandoned. Left to rot and die. Left to be sold, tortured, used and abused. The Jedi Order abandoned him, so he abandoned them. Obi-Wan, the Jedi Master, died and was replaced by a slave named Ben.He has one chance to make this work. One chance to try and escape, maybe stay free or die in the attempt. For the first time in years, though, the pathways are clear to him. Staying isn't an option. It's time for Ben to forge his own path





	1. So Broken Inside

He had to escape. Had too. He was going to die if they kept him their. Either he would starve to death or he would die of sickness. Ben wrapped his arms around himself and took a deep breath. But how could he escape, realistically speaking? He didn't know what planet he was on. He didn't know the local language, that was for sure. His...owner (how he _hated_ that word!) was very careful to use Standard with him and not the local language. He didn't even know what that the local species was, other than they had long fur that burned when they took him. Ben touched the white shirt with trembling hands. He didn't know what to do anymore. The Jedi didn't seem to want him. That was evidenced by the fact that they didn't even bother to try and find him after the mission to save those Togruta.

When the smoke had cleared, Ben had been left behind. Stunned, bloodied, bruised, and battered...he hadn't been able to fight. He had been forced to back down, beaten into submission with the cursed shock collar he couldn't get off. That day had been the first day that Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master, had died. Sometimes, that man came back, but he never stayed very long and he always fled when the Masters came back. It had only taken him a year to break. A year of starvation, of rape, of abuse and Ben had folded. He had crawled to them when they refused to let him walk and finally submitted to them without a fight. Something inside of him had broken when he first submitted. He had no pride left, none at all.

His Master barked something and pulled on the chain. The nails driven through the leather dug into his skin, forcing him to walk. Ben followed, his face downcast. Ben was a broken slave. His Master, who moonlighted as a slave breaker, didn't need him anymore. The collar with the nails in it was only there to bloody Ben up some, to make it look like the slave had fought to the bitter end. The chain was also connected to a series of piercings that made it very hard for him to rebel against the collar and chain. His bare feet bruised easily as he walked across the rocks. All Ben wore was the kilt, if he was going to call it that, and nothing else. His pale skin would surely burn out in the harsher light of this planet and he wasn't sure his new Master would like that.

They were going to the raised pier at the end of town. Ben didn't dare fight back or complain. He just walked in silence. His Master hadn't used him that morning, instead preparing him and plugging him for the possibility that someone would want to try out the goods. Before, that would have filled Ben with a sense of shame he couldn't describe. Now, after being taken dry several times, he was grateful for the attention. He shuddered slightly as they walked. Ben wanted to break free, but the chain would make it agonizing to try. He'd done it once--and ripped one of the piercings out in the process. He'd screamed in pain until his voice gave out and his Master had doused the wounds in high proof alcohol. He'd thought he was going to die, the pain was so intense.

His Master let the chain get slack. Ben could try to grab it and maybe get free. He looked around, wary, and tried to ease his bound hands towards the chain that was just out of his reach. His Master must have seen, because he snarled and gave a harsh tug. Ben yelped and cowered back. There wasn't anything he could say or do to stop a punishment. His Master snarled at him and slapped Ben across the face. His head reeled back with the Force of the blow. Ben whined softly. His head hung and he didn't dare look up. His Master tugged on the chain again and Ben followed like an obedient dog. If he wasn't sold tonight, he wouldn't eat and he might even be given to some of the guards to abuse as they saw fit.

The last time that had happened, Ben had bled for a week.

He was lead on top of the pier and chained so his hands were stretched over his head. It made his ribs burn where he'd been kicked earlier. The scars on his back ached and Ben closed his eyes. He forced them back open after the bidding started, trying to look around. One of the ones in the crowd, a powerful looking yellow Zabrak, was on the stage. He said something to the man organizing the auction. The man nodded and the Zabrak walked over. Hard amber eyes met blue ones as the massive beast stuck a finger in his mouth and pulled his lip down. Ben didn't bite him. He was shaking, though, and afraid of what the massive Zabrak wanted. The Zabrak checked the rest of him over, felt over his bony hips and lifted up the kilt to look at his _shebs_. Ben turned red for that one.

"With what he has you open with, I'm surprised you still feel shame," the Zabrak murmured.

Ben gaped at him. "You...you speak Standard!" He couldn't believe it! After all this time... Maybe the Force was liking him again. Maybe it was done with its revenge, cutting him off from it after the pills he took, and it was going to let him use it again. Ben felt tears prickle his eyes. The Zabrak growled softly and continued his inspection. Ben's cheeks still burned as he was handled roughly. He knew his Master. But this Zabrak? This Zabrak was completely unknown to him. The Zabrak just shrugged a little bit as he kept working. Ben turned his head away. There was nothing stopping the man from taking him here, on the stage, as a warning to all of the slaves who would soon be sold.

The Zabrak straightened back up and barked something at his old Master. The man held out his hand and the Zabrak gave him a credit chip. Unless Ben was going mad, the Zabrak had just dropped nearly five thousand credits on his broken body. Would the fact that he was a former Jedi Master add to the price? Or did the Jedi not care and he was just being sold for his looks? His soft auburn hair and blue eyes were rare enough that he might be considered valuable...

"Come on, you," the Zabrak muttered. He pulled on the chain and Ben had no choice but to follow him. His hands were bound once again and he followed the other man with his head down. Just like a good slave. Anything to keep the nails in his collar from digging in anymore than they already were.


	2. This Pathetic Creature

The pathetic creature trailing after him couldn't be the one that sliced his brother in two and cursed him to madness on a trash planet. He could also not be responsible for the near constant headache Savage had had after his brother had mumbled words about this man, this "Obi-Wan Kenobi" and planned to do him great harm if he ever found him. Savage, being the caring brother that he was, had needed to stop on Kesh for supplies. Food was always a given. Food, especially food for his brother, was something he always needed. His brother might have lost his legs, but he had not lost the tattoos and the unique smell that made Maul his _aja_. Savage was all the more determined to protect his brother the way he had never been able to protect Feral.

The slave trailing behind him couldn't do much harm. His skin was ashen, his face pale and downcast. He moved with a stiff limp like his leg had been damaged in a fight. Savage wasn't sure if he liked that or not. Did he really have the time to take in this wretched, former slave when his own brother was in some very dangerous madness? Savage wasn't sure if this was a good idea or not. All he knew was that his brother was dangerously unstable and the Force would not leave him alone about it. But this slave, this slave that had nails driven through his collar and was bleeding down his bare chest as he walked... He was going to be trouble. Savage just knew it. However, since he had knocked his brother out earlier, it was going to be easy to get his new purchase in their ship without there being a huge battle. His brother might have been mad, but he was also very powerful and not afraid to blast other beings into next week.

The slave stood at his heels as they came to the ship. Savage was rather proud of it, a sleek Infiltrator class caravel he had picked up for a song at a local scrapyard. Savage liked fixing mechanical things. It was so much easier than trying to heal other Nightbrothers when your supplies were running low and had been for several moons. Savage shook his head and climbed on the ship. Her name was the _Scimitar_ and Maul seemed to like her. Savage had even found the wreckage of an old speeder (he'd never seen a model like it before, not even on the HoloNet) in the back. Maul **_really_** liked the speeder and Savage resolved to fix it for him. He might not have been able to save Feral, but he could give Maul a much better life than the one he had.

"That's a big ship." The slave cowered back, as if expecting to be hit, but Savage just grunted. He'd been hit enough as a Nightbrother. If Aari saw him now, leading his very own slave around by the collar, he would likely get a face full of claws. Or if Dauntless saw him. If Dauntless was still alive, he'd been Chosen two summers ago. Savage shook his head and trooped up the gang plank. He touched the Force, trusting the spirits would tell him if his brother was awake. From what Savage knew of Codeine (he was used to using poppy seeds), his brother was going to sleep for hours and have some very odd dreams. Savage shrugged. He did turn, though, and beckon the slave over. The slave obeyed, albeit a little nervously, and dropped to his knees.

Savage removed the collar and soothed the inflamed injuries with a sort of balm made from rendered animal fat and various herbs he had grown. It must have felt good, because the slave's eyes fluttered closed and he leaned into the touch. Savage took the chance and brushed through some of the auburn hair. It was much softer than a witch's. Smoother, more like silk. The slave was very clean, but he was very thin. He wasn't going to die, but he would still be sick. Savage resolved to find out a little more about humans. He knew that humans couldn't eat raw meat (his erstwhile mate, Asajj, had refused raw meat at first) and that they couldn't go as long as he could without food or water.

"I will take care of you." Savage finished smearing the balm on his wounds. "What's your name?"

The slave licked his lips. They seemed plush and inviting as he looked down and Savage resisted touching him. After all, he hated it when the Nightsisters did it to him. "I'm... I'm called Ben, Master." He dared look up and his blue grey eyes were beautiful. "You-you don't have to call me that, though..."

Savage growled softly and took his wrist in his hand. "I'm not going to beat you, you understand? But my brother is also on this ship and he doesn't like humans very much. Either you do as I say,  or he will kill you and I won't be able to stop him. Are we understood?"

"Yes, Master." Ben nodded and looked down. Savage nodded and pulled Ben to his feet. The slave still trailed him like a whipped puppy, all meek and broken. Savage wondered why that was. The creature that had destroyed his brother had been fire and spite and power. This creature was just... broken. He barely seemed human, unwilling to talk and keeping his head bowed. Savage understood the gesture. Some Nightbrothers had it, the ones that the witches hadn't destroyed for failing to provide them with a female or even just because they wanted another one. Some witches even slaughtered the Nightbrothers after a birth. Savage had hated the practice, he had buried too many of his brothers for him to even like it, but he understood how Ben was acting.

Ben wanted to make himself smaller, to make himself less of a threat or a target. He understood the feeling behind it, but Savage wasn't the one Ben needed to be afraid of. That would be his brother who, thank the gods, was still asleep.

Savage nodded to himself. He would have to be careful and see if this worked or not. If this pathetic creature really was the one who destroyed his brother like that... there was going to be hell to pay.


	3. Second Chances

Ben shook as he watched the Zabrak. He didn't know what his Master wanted, but he figured he was about to find out. The Zabrak turned and left, leaving Ben in the ship. He didn't know where he could go or not, his Master hadn't given him any directions yet, but he slid down the walls and sat. The filmy white material of his skirt pooled out around his thin legs. The material clung to his body and perfectly outlined everything. Ben turned his head away in shame. His old Master hadn't had to cage him, as he always stayed soft. Not even when they tried to find his spots and then tortured those without mercy. Despite their best efforts, he couldn't be trained to come for them on command. It just hadn't worked.

The Zabrak came back, holding a rag and a bowl of what looked like water. Ben knelt down beside him again and the Zabrak gently bathed the dried blood off of him. He wasn't sure what he thought of that. Most of the dried blood was on his chest, around his pierced nipples, and the Zabrak seemed to take extra time touching him there. Ben whimpered. He didn't dare pull back, he stayed perfectly still, but it was clear that he didn't like it. The Zabrak seemed more curious than looking to hurt him, anyways. The gentle hands continued, wiping off the sweat and dust from the road. It was oddly soothing and Ben liked it. Did that make him bad, that he was letting his Master comfort him? The other Jedi would have thought so, but he was as good as dead to the rest of them.

Master stopped after he was clean enough and got him to stand. Ben obeyed. He looked up at his Master, not sure he knew what the Zabrak wanted. The Zabrak seemed to like touching his hair. Ben was content to allow it. It was the most innocent touching he had ever had, ever since this mess had started. The Zabrak was fascinated with his hair. Of course, most Zabraks didn't have hair. Ben knew that Eeth Koth had hair, but he was part human. This...this massive, yellow Zabrak, with his hulking muscles and his jagged horns, was nothing like his former friend. He was really and truly a fearsome beast. Like the stories he had once told the younglings, to be good or the Dark Man would get you.

The Zabrak pulled him into a room. Ben felt his blood run cold. He started to whine and clasped the male's hand. The Zabrak would be massive. Even with the oil and preparation he had had, Ben didn't know if he could take the other man. The Zabrak sighed some and let him stand in the hall. Ben shivered. He wondered if he was about to be punished or if the Zabrak was just figuring out how to break him. The Zabrak came back a minute later, holding clothing. Ben looked up at him. His old Master and liked to see him in this skirt, if he was allowed clothing at all. What was the Zabrak getting at? The Zabrak beckoned him over and Ben obeyed. His gut was telling him to run, to flee, but he couldn't. These days, the Force slipped from his grasp.

"You can wear these." The Zabrak had a rough, gravelly voice. Ben nodded. He stripped out of the skirt, showing the Zabrak that was the only bit of clothing he had on, and pulled on what turned out to be small clothes, loose trousers, and a rough shirt. All of it was for a man much bigger than he was and nothing was for a man with piercings. Ben winced a little as the shirt pulled on his nipples. That _hurt_. But at least he was only pierced on his chest. He had seen slaves who had more piercings than he did and in other places. Most of them looked to be in constant pain. The Zabrak made and odd rumbling sound and looked happy as he surveyed Ben. Ben ducked his head down in shame.

The Zabrak tipped his head up, thumb resting just over his bottom lip. Ben opened his mouth and sucked at the digit, not sure if that was what the Zabrak wanted or do. He got a little bit of an odd look, but the Zabrak didn't move his hand or tell him to stop. Instead, a hand simply rested in his hair and strong, calloused fingers went through his hair. Ben didn't know what the Zabrak wanted with him, but it was just touching. He knew this could change on a dime, if often did, but he was willing to take what little comfort he could get before that, too, was taken away from him. Ben sighed and looked down after a few minutes. What kind of Jedi was he if he was letting a man touch him like this?

Obviously, he wasn't a very good one. The Council hadn't even sent a search party.

"Thank you, Master." Ben ducked his head. The shirt gave another painful tug on his nipples and he hissed from the pain. The Zabrak cocked his head. Ben flushed some as he realized the Zabrak was curious. "The...the shirt, sir... it...it's tugging on my piercings..."

The Zabrak nodded and palmed his hand over Ben's chest. Ben cringed, wondering if he was about to lose his clothing. "I see," the massive Zabrak rumbled. He seemed to make a choice. "Take the piercings out, then. I don't like them much anyways and the shirt will give you some protection from my brother's claws." Ben mumbled his thanks and took out the offending bits of metal quickly. Those he dropped in the Zabrak's hand. The Zabrak nodded and turned on his heels. Ben trailed after him like a dog. He wondered if he could make a little bit of tea for himself and what he would have to do to earn that privilege. He didn't even know the man's name, yet he held his life in his hands.

Ben kept his head down as he entered the kitchen. He mentally steeled himself. "S-sir? Could I... could I make a pot of tea?" Really so he could calm his nerves and soothe himself?

The Zabrak shrugged. "Only if you make enough for three."

Ben was happy enough to oblige his Master, if it meant he could self-soothe for a few minutes.


	4. Studying Him

Savage wondered if it was particularly wise to allow Ben to boil water for some tea, but he could see how happy his new slave was in finding it. He had a little trouble reaching the shelf where Savage stored his tea bags (the good stuff was safely out of his brother's reach) and Savage took that opportunity to press him to the counter. It was a test of sorts. He needed to see how Ben would react to his new Master. The slave sort of folded in on himself, shivering. Savage handed him the tea bags and sat down. He tapped on his comm some, researching what human males needed to eat. Ben was from Stewjon, and that subspecies of humans needed more protein and fewer grains than the others did. He hummed softly as he made a shopping list.

Ben mostly ignored him. He was more interested in pattering around the kitchen, grabbing a few things here and there. He found the battered and chipping mugs, getting what looked like a little cream and sugar for his own. Savage watched him out of the corner of his eyes. He needed to test Ben again. "I like the bright yellow fruit in my tea," Savage casually said. He pointed to the bin where they were. "Cut that up for me, if you would."

"As you wish, Master." Ben bowed his head and sliced the juicy fruit thinly. He added the slices to one of the mugs, cleaned up his mess, and dropped the _very_ sharp knife in the sink. Savage grunted softly. He had passed that test with flying colors, it seemed. Ben poured out two mugs of steaming hot tea, leaving the third one empty. He sat beside his Master, still on edge. Savage took his own mug and sipped it. Ben was good at what he did. Ben looked down after a few minutes, playing with the hem of his pants. "Master? Who is the other cup for?"

"My brother." Savage leaned back, enjoying the tea. He eyed his slave, how pale he looked. He really did like the brilliant blue eyes and how his red hair made it very pleasing. Savage offered him an amused purr. Ben looked a little bit confused. Savage kept purring, looking the slave over. He wasn't sure what he wanted from this male. He just needed to help his brother, but he didn't need to add a very damaged slave to the mix. Savage considered his options. He could always sell the slave if it got to be too much. After all, his brother was the priority here. Then again, his skin crawled at the thought of selling the slave. It was like the spirits were screaming at him to just not do it. That alone gave Savage pause. He was supposed to own this slave, for whatever reason it was.

"The one that would hurt me?" Ben swallowed and looked down. He seemed very scared and Savage cupped his chin with one massive paw. Ben forced himself to look up. He was still scared, it seemed, and Savage didn't know how to calm him. "M-master, I-I'm not fertile. Not-not by what the Keshiri wanted f-from me..." He turned away, as if he wasn't sure of what he wanted to say. Sacage knew that the Keshiri didn't breed slaves like the Zyggerians did. It didn't surprise him, though, that Ben had been bred. He was just too pretty not to have been. He was very slender, built for speed rather than brute force. His lines, his contours... He would have made pretty kittens, if you asked Savage.

"Yes." Savage dropped his hand lower, not liking that he could feel the other man's jutting hipbones. Ben must have lost a lot of weight. If he was to have or sire kittens, he would have needed more flesh on his bones than what he had. "He would hurt you. He's hurt me. It's his mind, you see. He spent twelve years on a trash planet being tortured by fire-wolves and some mad snake creature. I'm afraid his mind is gone. Half of his body is, too. It's a spider beast from the waist down."

Ben froze, terror in his eyes. He made a bit of a squeaking sound and wrapped his arms around his Master. His body shook like a leaf in a tornado cycle. Savage knew this ploy. He had done it to Asajj once: made himself look small and vulnerable so he wouldn't be hurt as badly. The sad thing was, it didn't work then and it wouldn't work now.

Savage gave a warning growl and shook the slave off. "Do you know my brother?"

"Is he a red Zabrak?" Ben drew his arms around himself, rocking back and forth. Savage nodded. Ben looked down. When he spoke, his voice was very thin. "I...I have dreams if him, Master. He is a very thin red Zabrak. He's screaming because wolves are biting at him and his body is full of infection. He is full of rage and pain, terror and anguish. There isn't anywhere he can go to." Ben shivered as he looked up. "I've only seen him in my dreams, Master, but he scares me. It's like... It's like he wants to eat me and he would do anything to get it."

"I wouldn't go as far as cannibalism," Savage muttered softly. "You should stay away from his quarters, then. I'll show you where they are. As a precaution, too, you'll be sleeping in my bed. Do you understand, slave?"

"Yes, Master." Ben's voice was little more than a whisper and he looked down again.

"Good." Savage stood up and guided his slave to follow him. "Now let me show you where you can and can't go."


	5. Places You Can't Go

Ben knew all too well what he wasn't allowed to do and what he was. This Master seemed much more decent than the other ones had. He trailed after the yellow Zabrak, following his heels with his eyes. What did his Master want of him? Ben didn't know. He was too thin for his wet to form, so it would either be dry (Ben trembled at the thought) or the Zabrak would have to use oil. He splayed a hand across his belly some as he walked. His Master had believed both lies he told him. Ben wasn't sterile. He was with child, though it was from a male Twi'lek named Baya. Baya had been sweet and kind, exactly what Ben had craved. And now... what Force he could feel told him that there was a child within him.

The human male the Zyggerians had used had been months ago. Ben would have been showing if that one took. As it was, his belly was still flat. This one was just a promise.

His Master had believed him when he said he didn't know who Darth Maul was. Ben held himself as they walked. This part of the ship was dark and quiet, a far cry from the noisy chaos of the rest. He shivered some and looked around. Master took him to a room and pointed to it. Ben shivered. He was still a Jedi enough to whine and try to get away. It made his skin crawl! The yellow Zabrak growled, though, and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. Ben was forced to stand there and _feel_ Maul's aura wash over him. He couldn't struggle. What was he supposed to do?! He was so scared. He had to get away! Maul would know him. Maul would know and he would be ripped apart... Ben almost babbled about the baby, but he kept his mouth shut at the last second.

"My brother lives in that room." Master pointed at the door and made very sure that Ben would never go in there unless ordered too. "You're very pretty, you know. He might not be a man anymore, but he would pin you down and use whatever he could to "breed" you. That's how crazy he is.You might be from Stewjon, but as skinny as you are... I think you'd bleed. I think you would bleed and I don't know how to fix that." He cupped Ben's chin again and forced the slave to look up at him. Ben had the desperate machinations of a plan already forming. He had to do something. Had too! The slave went down on one knee and nuzzled at the other man's crotch. It was a universal gesture.

"Please, Master..." Ben looked up, trying to keep from bawling and annoying his Master. The Zabrak gave him a dark look, but waited for him to continue. "Please don't make me go in there, Master. _Please_. I'll do anything you want, but please don't make me go in there..." He trailed off, well aware that he was grovelling and the other man could very well throw him in there to be raped. Again. At least his other Masters had been careful and prepared his body... but the last Keshiri had used him as a field slave. He worked and his pale skin burned. That was why he had been sold. He was too skinny and it was too hard to get a male like him nursed back to health. He whimpered and ducked his head. What would his Master do? He was borderline useless...

Master nodded and moved so he wasn't cowering on top of the man's boots. "I'll think about it. You behave and be a good boy for me." Ben nodded under the piercing gaze. Food was good. He had to be good and he had to eat. If he was good, his Master would feed him. Ben kept from rubbing his belly. What would the Jedi say if they knew what he was willing to do? A good Jedi should have no interest in sex--yet Ben had willingly slept with a friend of his and there was very little he wasn't willing to do for the sake of his child. He got up and trailed after his Master. They went back through the galley and into a large room. It was dominated by a rumpled bed and had clothes strewn about.

"Clean this up. I'm going to see about buying food." With that order, hanging in the air, the Zabrak walked out.

"Yes, Master." Ben started working on the piles of clothes first. His belly let him know he was hungry, though, and when he found a thing of nuts in one of the pockets, Ben wolfed those down. He crumpled up the wrapper and had it burned. It was mind-numbing, boring work, but he wasn't being whipped or starved. The man made sure to get the room as clean as he could. After all, he would soon be sleeping in that bed. And it wasn't that bad. Ben had done far worse things and he liked cleaning and organizing. He was almost done when a cold shadow crossed his back. Ben turned around, trembling. A mad red Zabrak gave him a creepy smile. And yes, his body was a spider from the waist down.

"Kenobi..." Maul cocked his head like a dog. Then he growled some and the temperature dropped by a few degrees. Ben felt the air around his throat start to tighten and he struggled. He was _choking_! The red Zabrak laughed like it was the funniest thing he had ever seen and dropped him on the ground. Ben gasped, a hand going over his belly. "I see you! You're really real! I can punish you!"

"B-Ben!" Ben wailed. He curled up as best he could, eyes wide. "M-my name is B-Ben!" What sort of Jedi lied on a daily basis? But Ben couldn't let Maul kill him...

"Okay, Ben." Maul scuttled into the clean room. "Why does my brother have you?"

"I-I'm a pleasure slave." Well, he was... Ben shivered and looked up, his eyes wide. "H-he must have wanted to kriff m-me and for m-me to work. He's my M-master."

Maul growled and poked Ben in the chest with his leg. "I'm the Master!" But he backed off after a few minutes and gave Ben a happy look. "I'll see you later, Obi-Ben-Kenobi. Maybe Brother will let me have fun with you!" He gave Ben that creepy smile again and took off. That was when Ben barricaded himself in the room and resolved not to come out. He had no idea what was about to happen, only that it wasn't good.


	6. Madness

Savage came to his brother with a tray of raw meat. The ritual needed to give his brother his legs and mind back would have to be completed on Dathomir. After that... Savage was leaving. He wouldn't be able to stay with the Sisters ever again. He had talked to enough people to know what they did to the males was _dirty_ , _bad_ , and _wrong_. Discretion was also the better part of valor, so he wasn't going anywhere near that mudhole unless he had to. And he had to to give his brother back his mind. Legs could be cloned, but a mind couldn't be. Savage knocked at the door. He'd learned the hard way to do that--his brother had shot several knives at him. How he made the knives, Savage would never know.

That was now the reason his brother was no longer allowed to sleep on a bed. He had a pallet and blankets. That was it. His refresher was stripped down to a toilet and a shower tub. Everything was securely welded together and there was little to no chance that Maul could actually break the pipes. After all, they were made out of a material that was almost impossible to break. Though his brother had tried. Repeatedly.

Maul sat on his blankets, fiddling with some of his things. At least he wasn't trying to kill someone. Savage had the sneaking feeling that he had gotten out, which was the last thing Ben needed. His poor slave was fragile enough as it was. He needed to rest, to heal. They needed to get some weight on those bones. He was far too skinny for Savage's taste as it was. The red Zabrak had flopped on his back and he was tearing one of his blankets to shreds. The male looked like he was destroying things for the sheer sake of destroying them. Savage cleared his throat. This was the _last_ thing he needed to be dealing with. His insane brother needed to quit with the destroying. Savage was tired of cleaning up the mess.

"I have your dinner." Savage sat the tray of meat over where the other male could see it, along with a plate of carrots and a pitcher of water. All raw, ready for him to eat. He needed plenty of rough stuff in his diet. If he didn't, he would have even more issues with the toilet. He already had more than enough as it was and the last thing Savage needed to deal with was laxatives. "Carrots and bantha meat. I think you'll like it."

Maul cocked his head some and grabbed the meat. "Mine! You touch it, I'll kill you!" He stuffed it in his face and growled at his brother. Savage closed his eyes and sighed some. This was really not going to be a good idea. He just wanted to feed his brother. The witches wouldn't want him. He was insane and he was damaged. Savage had no idea how he was going to get his brother fixed. "Ben. Ben. Ben. I know Ben. The Force knows Ben. The Force knows Ben's little one. Did you know  that Ben can have little ones? He's going to have a little one, brother. Can I eat it?"

"No." Savage rubbed his face. Ben was too skinny to be pregnant. Yes, the man was Stewjoni, but he was too skinny. He needed another thirty pounds before they could think about it. "You're not eating Ben's baby, okay? I'll get two slaves for the price of one and then we can get your mind fixed. Deal?"

"He cut me." Maul licked the blood off of his thumb. "Ben cut me. I hate him. Can I eat his baby now? I don't think he wants it."

"No." Savage crossed his arms. "And... how did Ben cut you? He's a Zyggerian slave! You were on Coruscant and Lotho Minor! His records say he was born in a whore house. He's just a slave, Maul. He runs as soon as you look at him cross-eyed!"

"Ben cut me." Maul ate his carrots and made a ragged purr. "With his lightsaber. It didn't hurt because it cauterized all the nerves. That's why I'm only half a man. Ben cut me and he hurt me so I want to cut him and hurt him."

"Uh huh. Next you'll be telling me that the moons are holograms."

Maul cocked his head and gave a funny little laugh. "Do you think I'm mad? Of course I know that moons are real! But Ben cut me. And you're my brother. You're supposed to cut him back!" He pouted some and then gave Savage a wicked little smile. "I know what his name used to be! He used to be a Jedi Knight! He was going to kill me! He was scared of me, so he used the Dark Side to strangle me and ran his Master through! Then he cut me because he's an evil Jedi Knight!"

"Keep telling yourself that. I think you're just jealous that I have a slave and I'm not spending all my time with you." Savage gave Maul a long look. "Ben was born a slave. He'll die a slave. If he has babies, they'll be slaves, too. It's the way the galaxy works." He started cleaning up the plates and left Maul the water so he could drink. "You can't hurt Ben because you think he cut you, okay? Ben heard you in the Force. I think he shared some of your pain. Maybe you two share a soul bond or something like that." If that was true, poor Ben. That was the last thing he needed to deal with, a Force bond with the monster that was his brother. Honestly, the sooner he got Maul to the Sisters, the better.

"Ben cut me!" Maul screamed. The pitcher rattled and Savage knew he was working up for a hissy fit. Savage just walked out the door and locked it. He spotted Ben, cleaning one of the wall panels. The poor human didn't smell like any of the nursing mothers he knew. But if it wasn't all that far along... Savage rolled his eyes some. Why was he trusting the words of a madman? He cast a sorry look at the locked door before walking to the galley. He had Ben to do the dishes, but the action soothed him. He needed some soothing, too.

Ben was a slave. Slaves weren't Jedi. The Jedi didn't even bother to test slave children.

But why was Savage getting such a nagging feeling about this. Was there something more to that little slave than he was lead to believe?


	7. A Close Call

Savage couldn't know. He could never know about the little one Ben carried. Ben didn't know how he'd hide the pregnancy from his Master or how he'd hide the changes in his body, but he had too. He just _had_ too. He could tolerate his being a slave, but he could never tolerate his child being a slave. Ben sat down some in the hold, trying to take calming breaths. Meditation might help out a little bit. He could formulate a plan, get something settled so he could hide his child away. It was half Twi'lek, anyways. Hybrids were nothing in the world of the slavers. To kill a slave hybrid was to kill a rabid dog. Ben hadn't taken from the human stud, but he'd taken fro his friend. He didn't know what to think about that. Or what he would do with the child once it came.

How would he hide a pregnancy? Ben looked down at himself, noting how scarred and thin he was. He didn't think that he could ever justify a sudden weight gain and then the loss. Savage was no fool. Maul was on this ship, too. How would he hide this from Maul? And what would he do if Maul suddenly hit him or tried to make him miscarry? There were so many ways that this could go wrong... Ben didn't even want to _think_ about them. As it was, he tucked his legs up under himself and tried to feel the Living Force. It had gotten so hard to grasp after it had been deadened. The bond he had with Anakin was now shattered. Any bond he had with Ahsoka had been severed as well. Without the Force as a homing beacon, Ben doubted any of the Jedi would see him as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master. They would just see him as Ben, a pregnant slave.

The Jedi never tested slave children for the Force. They would never see his child for what it was. They would only see the child of a dirty slave.

Ben huffed out a sigh and got up. He needed to work, anyways. His Master was bound to have some task he needed to do. He shivered some, not wanting to be forced into bed just yet. Then again, the man was caring for that crazed brother of his. There wasn't much that Ben could do but just hold on. True to his feelings, Ben was given a task to do. He set about changing the sheets on his Master's bed, cleaning out the refrigeration unit, organizing the supply pantry by product type (not much for humans. Much of it was dried fruit and dried meat. Ben would need grain products to stay healthy), and folding what seemed like endless baskets of laundry. Through it all, his Master did take the ship off. Ben wondered where they were going, but he was too afraid to ask.

"Ben!" Savage poked his head through the door and surveyed the piles of clean clothing. It had been decided that Ben would wear some of Maul's clothes. They would get him his own small clothes at the next stop. Ben came over quickly, looking around. It looked like his Master had made dinner for them both. There was some kind of steaming meat, cooked for Ben's dinner, and raw meat for his Master. "I actually do like cooking. My brother usually throws food back at me if I try to feed him stuff like this, so I'm pleased to have someone who likes to eat."

"Thank you, Master," Ben demurred. He took his plate and began to eat on the floor. He was a slave. Slaves didn't get to use chairs. It was just a bad idea and a slave who used a chair was very bad. Ben couldn't afford to be bad or break the rules. He had to think about the little one in his belly. Ben's life wasn't his for the next nine months. He had to ensure that this child lived. He would do it for Baya. Baya would never know freedom, but his child might. Ben knew that he would have to find a Jedi Knight to give his infant too. It wouldn't be too hard. There were Jedi all over now, thanks to the way. Something in him twisted and, with a bitter pang, Ben realized that he would only see his child for a few hours.

"You can sit with me at the table, you know." Savage took the plate and made sure that Ben stood up. The slave's breath hitched. He was pretty sure that he would be hit and he cringed, waiting for the punishment to strike. He couldn't afford to mess up. Not now. Not with the life of his child on the line. So Ben obeyed and he sat at the table beside his Master. It felt very strange, but Ben was willing to do it. Savage moved to pour Ben a glass of wine. Once, Ben would have been flattered. But not anymore.

Ben tried to stay his Master's hand. "M-Master! I...I don't drink!"

"Why not?" Savage gave Ben a curious look. "I thought you would have had concerns about water. I know you drink, Ben."

He quickly shook his head. Telling the truth was not an option. "I fear getting drunk," Ben softly said. He looked down, trying to act like he was terrified. "I...I have drank once and I became so drunk that I don't know what happened to me. When I came too, my owner supplied that I had been very pleasing to her." Ben shuddered some. "I hurt for several days, Master. I can't drink it. The...the smell brings me back to the pain..."

Savage rolled his eyes some. "Then you can get yourself water. It's more for me, I guess."

"Oh, thank you, Master!" Ben fell to Savage's feet. His Master didn't move and Ben made no move to nuzzle at the other man's crotch. He wasn't going to initiate sex. The child would be clearly half Twi'lek, not half Zabrak. Ben drew back some and got up. He did get himself some water, though. Ben returned to the table and started wolfing down the food. He moaned some, letting his eyes drift closed. After months of nothing but bland ration bars and water, Ben would never complain about Stew Day at the Jedi Temple ever again. He almost inhaled the food, burning his tongue instead of tasting it. Savage stifled the laugh some, clearly enjoying the sight. Ben offered his Master a shy smile back. It never hurt to endear yourself to your Master.

They finished eating after a little bit and Ben rose to deal with the dishes. He swallowed some, realizing it would soon be time for bed. He allowed his Master to lead him into the bedroom and he lay down obediently. Savage, though, just went to sleep beside him and held Ben close.

It was going to be a long night.


	8. What Are You to Me?

Ben was a little bit bony, but he made a very good pillow for the Zabrak. He purred a little bit during the night, keeping Ben pressed into his arms. As much as he wanted to see if the stories about the Stewjoni were true, he also didn't want to hurt his new slave. He hummed a little bit, resting one clawed hand across his back. For Ben's part, he didn't look that amused about sharing a bed with his Master, but he wasn't fighting it. If anything, he was keeping very calm and very still. Savage did not mind that. He didn't exactly want to be kicked all night long, nor did he want to have to deal with a squirming slave. As much as Savage loved his brother, Maul was not an ideal bedmate at this point.

Also, Nightbrothers didn't need to share beds with each other. It did tend to lead to things that got you killed. Savage huffed out a breath and traced the pale lines the human had. He wasn't quite sure why he was so curious about this human, or why the Spirits sang about him so. There was just something about the man. Something that Savage liked. He palmed over the pink, narrow chest some and touched the wiry hair. Ben hissed some and drew back. Savage understood. So pulling at the hair hurt just like pulling on a horn did. Savage could understand that. He touched the nipples, though, and was a little saddened to see that they didn't bare the scars his did. He'd taken out his piercings long ago, but the scarring would never heal.

Ben's, by contrast, would be closed within the week if he kept them all cleaned out.

"Master..." Ben tried to pull back some, fear in his blue eyes. Savage watched him. He was very curious to see what his slave would do and how far he would go to challenge him. Savage almost crossed his arms some. Ben swallowed deeply. He ducked his head to his chest and swallowed again. The fear scent flooded the room. Unlike a Nightsister, Savage didn't get off on that. He simply crossed his arms and waited for Ben to say his piece. "P-please don't t-touch me like that..." He ducked his head more, shaking a little bit. "I-I'll be good! I promise! Just please don't touch me there..."

Savage snorted some and pulled Ben closer to him by his hips. The slave keened some. He didn't scramble away, but he did start to hunch in one himself. Savage raised one tattooed brow. Yes. He was so convinced that his little slave was going to fold on him just like that. "Little Ben, I don't think you understand. I don't know why I bought you. I could have easily used the name credits to purchase the Nautolan fripboy beside you. And yet the Spirits told me to pick _you_. What I want to do is understand just why you're so special. So you understand me?" He waited for Ben to nod and the slave did. Savage nodded some and looked at some of the odd looking scars on his chest and sides. If Savage didn't know better, he would say those were lightsaber scars. "Where did you get those?"

"A light whip," Ben mumbled. "My first Master fancied himself a Sith, so he beat us with a light whip every time we didn't obey him. I picked up shiny rocks instead of hauling water." He shrugged helplessly and watched with dull eyes as Savage continued touching him. Savage did trace the outline of his manhood, surprised to see that Ben wasn't castrated. A slave as pretty of Ben would have gotten the snip on several worlds and used as a singer. He supposed that whatever Master he had must not have wanted to risk it. Ben looked down some and shame colored his pretty cheeks. There was still something rebellious about the slave, though, and Savage just could not put his finger on it.

Something wasn't adding up. Savage din't know what it was, but it was starting to drive him mad.

He pulled the slave back down beside him and rubbed over his ass. Ben did seem to like that, pressing closer into him. Savage gave a low growl as he wrapped his arms around the human slave. He would never let Ben go again. And so he nuzzled at him some, nipping over his ears. He didn't think that Ben would fight him as he did that. He was proven right and very glad of it. The yellow Zabrak tried to think of what he was missing. There was just something off, though, and he did not know what it was. Ben was a slave. He had the brand and the papers for it. But the papers only really started around three years ago, when he was sold to a private party. Why wouldn't a Zyggerian breeder document the birth of a new slave?

The Zyggerians were data-hoarders when it came to everything else. They were almost as bad as the Bith when it came to recording things. Savage frowned a little bit. Could Ben be a captured free man with wiped memories? A spacer who fell afoul of a Hutt, maybe? Someone must have wanted him to vanish if he had done that. And what better way to do so? A quick memory wipe would take care of whoever the man must have been before. Savage looked Ben over with new eyes. The slave looked back at him before curling up and going back to sleep. Savage, though, stayed up for a little bit longer. There was just something odd about this entire thing. Savage did not know what it was, but he intended to figure it out.

He curled up close to his slave and pulled the blankets over them both. The odd milky scent came back and it seemed to be coming from Ben. Savage cocked his head some. The papers did say that Ben was Stewjoni and he had been with more than one stud... Savage grimaced some. He would be giving Ben a pregnancy test tomorrow. He figured he would at least allow Ben to keep the baby. He had no idea who the father was and he doubted that Ben would, either. He glanced over at the slave some and shook his head.

_Clever bastard. Thought he could pull one over on me._

Savage shook his head some as he bedded down for the night. He would deal with this in the morning. But for now... sleep.


	9. I Tried So Hard

Ben was a little nervous around his Master. Savage hadn't taken him last night, but that didn't mean much. He was still a slave. He would still face the risk of being taken against his will. It had happened with the Zyggerian guards when he'd gotten too mouthy for their taste. As a former Jedi, he was more than accustomed to the brute cruelty the slavers could inflict.But it was better him than a Togruta. Ben knew how to go deep within himself and block all of the pain. Even when he'd stepped on a fishing hook and been forced to walk on it for days. The guard who removed it just _yanked_ it out and belted him across the face for screaming. After that, the wound had been doused in high proof alcohol before being wrapped in bandages.

Was it a small wonder that he limped now?

Savage rolled out of bed early in the morning and left Ben to himself. The slave cupped his belly some. He had to deal with this pregnancy. He couldn't abort it. He could already feel his child within the Force and he knew it would kill whatever sense of self he had left. Just the thought of ripping the warm presence he felt in the Force out of him made Ben almost sick. He couldn't do it. They hadn't ever made him temporarily sterile like they often did with pleasure slaves. Ben hadn't been used like that. He had been farm labor. A man who labored on one of the vast plantations and produced most of the food the galaxy ate. Ben didn't know what he was going to do. This was all he had left of Baya.

Baya had been born into slavery. Even his name wasn't truly Twi'lek. Often, Twi'lek slaves were stripped of their formal names by the slavers. It was a way to dehumanize them and mark them as other. Baya didn't really even remember his parents. He didn't know his father, either. But the teal Rutian had welcomed Ben into his heart with open arms. They had bonded over a shared love of tea and Baya even showed Ben how to make tea out of various herbs. The owners called them weeds, but Baya... Baya had said they were all herbs and if you knew what to do with them, you could kill or you could heal. Also, the facial hair was a curiosity. One thing lead to another and the next thing Ben knew, he was learning why Twi'lek men were seen as the greatest lovers in the galaxy.

And a few weeks after that, he was throwing up his morning rations.

Savage came back into the room and cleared his throat. "You need to get up." He tossed something at Ben. The slave trembled some when he saw what it was. The last thing he needed to do was take one of these, but what choice did he have? And what would he do when it started showing. The massive yellow Zabrak gave him a long look. "I'm not stupid, you know. I have a feeling that there's something you aren't telling me and this is something that you can't lie about. So get on with it."

Ben's heart fluttered in his chest as he stumbled out of the bed. He needed to get this out _now_ before he was beaten around the belly. "D-do you you p-promise not to beat me?" he managed to stammer out. His eyes all but welled up into tears. He couldn't do this. Almost couldn't do this, if it put the life of his child in danger. Ben's hand dropped to his belly and he edged away from the Zabrak. He remembered hearing as a padawan about how unstable Zabraks were. The human almost couldn't control the tears coming from his eyes.

"I'm not going to beat you," Savage promised. Ben wished that he had the Force so he could tell if it was the truth or not. That was one of the most unfair things about being Force blind. He couldn't tell if he was being lied to anymore.

"I am pregnant," Ben admitted. He looked down, heart hammering. This man was going to kill him. Ben had seem Savage's type before. He probably felt that it was okay to "clean" Ben out so he could do his real job. He whimpered softly, not risking looking up at the Zabrak. He just needed to get out of here, but that wasn't an option. He had to stick this one out. He was going to be forced into doing this, so he might as well just get it over with. He shied back from the Zabrak, shaking like a leaf. Savage could lock him in a room with Maul. Or beat him until he lost the baby. Or do any one of a thousand things that would break his heart into tiny shards. He didn't dare look up at the man. Not after he had lied about being with child.

Savage nodded and grabbed the test. "Guess we won't be needing that, then." He gave Ben a long look. "In the future, I expect for you to be truthful. I'm not even sure if this is going to be your last pregnancy."

"Thank you, Master," Ben mumbled. It was more than he deserved. Most Masters would have beaten him for that or at least cut his rations. Even forcing sexual favors from him, if that was what the man wanted. Ben was just a slave now. He couldn't forget that. He couldn't forget that he was beholden to another man for everything and this man could kill him if he so wanted. Ben knew that Maul wanted to. He had no idea what he was going to do when/if Savage learned about his previous encounters with Maul.

"I'm still going to punish you for lying to me," Savage growled. He caught Ben's head and ran a thumb over his chin. "You're going to start by shaving that beard and keeping it shaved. And, after that, you're to scrub the kitchen." He sighed and glanced down at Ben's still flat belly. "And make sure you eat something, too. I don't want to hurt the kid."

Ben liked his beard, but he would have to cut it off. He found the clippers as instructed and shaved his beard. It made him sad to see the auburn hair all in the towel, but what else could he do? His beard or his baby. He had to pick. Ben had lost the privilege of having both when he was captured by the Zyggerian slavers. He did wish that Anakin could have rescued him. That was what the plan had said to do. But who could have known that they were going to separate him from the others and sell him off? Had Queen Miraj known? Had she been playing them all? Ben hoped that she didn't, because that meant that all of his suffering had been for nothing. And, besides, all he had left was hope now.

He scrubbed the kitchen top to bottom. It did take him most of the day and he stopped to make breakfast, lunch, and dinner for his Master and his Master's crazy brother. Savage wasn't _harsh_ with him, but he was brooding and he came up with an unending list of chores to do. Ben found himself almost wishing that he was back on Kesh and working in the fields again. Almost, but not quite. Here he did't have that cursed collar on him. Thank the Force for small miracles. What Ben wouldn't give to be able to touch the Force again, too. He had taken that for granted all his life... and now it was gone. All gone. And it might not ever come back. Ben tried to shove that thought away as he worked.

He would have to make do with what he had. It was the only way Ben knew.


	10. Dathomir

Savage didn't want to go back to Dathomir. He didn't want to face the other Nightbrothers, not when he got to have a life most of them would never dream of having. Not when he had rescued his brother Maul, being the only tracker from his village able to do it. The others had been hurt. Because he was the one that succeeded, he might even be mated out. He might be forced to mate with the witch Asajj. Or even one of the greater witches like Madreema. The last thing he wanted to be was mated to that witch. Or yanked into Asajj's ship and taken to places he didn't want to go. Honestly, the last thing he waned to do was be tied down now that he had a taste of a better life. Before...he might not have cared.

Now? Now he had his brother, Ben, and Ben's baby.

He stayed in the cabin mostly, not trusting himself not to grab Ben and have his way with the pretty slave. Those blue eyes, so full of pain and shadows, were the prettiest eyes he had ever seen. They looked better than his brother's eyes, which were red, yellow, and sickly. Savage needed to feed his brother as it was. He slipped into his brother's cabin and looked around. As expected, his brother was painting the walls. At least he was using the paint this time, not blood. Savage tried not to look at the images. The last thing he wanted was to see his brother violently killing Ben. _Again_. Maul just didn't understand that Savage could divide his attention between a slave and himself. Savage just needed to care about him, that was all.

"I brought your favorite," Savage softly said. He'd managed to get sweetened rancor marrow, which was a treat reserved for the most special of occasions, and had rendered it down into a smooth, creamy substance. It was filling enough to make a light meal and his brother needed something other than raw meat. It got boring unless you knew how to cook and Ben was starting to try out cooking. He was passable, but not great. Maul dropped the paint brush and scurried over, black paint spattered all over his body. He sniffed at the bowl before he made a few. "Come on, Maul. Try a few bites? You loved it the last time." Then again, the last time was when he was three, so Savage wondered is his tastes had changed. "Just a little bit?"

"Make Ben try it," Maul suggested. He played with his hands some and laughed. "Then Obi-Ben-Wan Kenobi will choke on it and he can die. Or I can still eat him. Can I eat him, brother? You said I could hurt the one who hurt me. Ben hurt me. I can prove he hurt me. See?" Maul jerked up the shirt to show the other Zabrak the brutal, gaping scar from where he'd lost his legs. Savage took a deep breath. Maul _hated_ Ben. "Now can I hurt him, brother? Now can I make him bleed? Now can I taste his sweet, sweet blood as he writhes and screams?"

"No. Eat your _kumiss_." Savage rubbed his head some as he tried to get Maul to eat. The mad Zabrak pouted some before he finished the meal. Savage took the dishes once he was done (he's cleaned up the blood from not doing so) and went to the bridge. Ben was there, cleaning the glass, but Savage paid him no mind. In the past month that he'd been on the _Scimitar_ , his body had changed. He was getting a little bit heavier and his chest had some definition to it. Savage rolled his eyes some. He wondered if Ben would be as ridiculously bloated as some of the others looked. A few of those men looked to be bigger than beached whales, but there was nothing he was going to say to that.

There were no major docks near the Highlands where the witches lived. That meant not going near Brynnja City, which was well over a thousand miles away from the Highlands. Savage was forced to wildcat a landing right in the middle of the village. He didn't like seeing the stone houses of the witches when he knew that the Nightbrothers were huddled under blankets and shivering in wooden huts. Savage closed his eyes and counted to ten before he slipped out of the ship. Ben trailed behind him, his eyes downcast. He touched the slave softly, wanting to calm him. The spirits were not happy about this, but he had to go there so he could save his brother. Savage let out an exhausted sigh as he knelt before Talzin.

The witch looked him over with cold yellow eyes before she looked at Ben. "That...is not your brother. Why have you dragged this piece of filth back into the village? Not even the pigs would eat him!"

"He's my slave." Savage didn't look up. Ben let out a soft whimper and he clutched at his clothing. Savage was forced himself not to look at his pet. He just wanted to get this over with. "He helps me care for my brother. I didn't know he was with child when I got him, or I would have gotten another one." He tried to keep this together. For some reason, he didn't want Ben to be killed. "Ben is a useful evil, Mistress. My brother scares him and he is obedient enough to cook and bring me my supplies."

"Go get Maul." Talzin didn't look at Ben, but the slave scrambled to go get Maul. Savage held his breath that it would all go smoothly. The witch swept away and Savage got up to go with her. Asajj was behind the witch and she cast her golden eyes over him. Savage shuddered. He didn't want to lay with her. But he might not have any choice if he stayed. He pocketed the chip to start the ship and trailed after them. Ben came out with Maul and got the half mad Zabrak to trail after the witches. The Zabrak didn't look all that happy about it, but he did obey and he trailed after them like a giant spider creature. Savage closed his eyes some, especially as Ben was taken away.

When he heard the screaming and the pleading coming from his slave, he tried to ignore it. He tried to focus on taking his kicking and screaming brother out of the legs he had cobbled together. But for some reason, Ben's cries of fear and pain pierced him to the very soul.


	11. The Aftermath

Ben curled up and tried to hide. He felt... horrible. Like he was less of a man than he already was. Hadn't enough been done to him? Hadn't he been captured, sold as a slave, abused by the Zyggerian queen, and finally sold to some backwaters planet? Hadn't that been enough? Wasn't the Force over torturing him? Ben's hand dropped to his belly and he thought he could feel Baya's baby moving some. Baya would never know about his son or daughter. He just wouldn't. For all he knew, nothing had happened to him around that fire but a little bit of comfort. Had Baya truly cared about him? Or had he just been another hole to frip open? Hybrids didn't sell well, so Ben doubted that the Masters had decided to set this one up.

He hurt all over. Ben curled up as best he could, shaking. He had a feeling that Maul was about to tell Savage everything and that Savage wasn't going to be happy with his slave. He'd already lost his beard for lying about the baby. What would he lose this time? Would he lose being a man? Ben shuddered and wrapped his arms around his knees. He couldn't do this. Not anymore. Not after what the witches had done to him... Ben glanced over, looking back at their sleeping forms. He hadn't been too heavy for them to use him. No, he was just heavy enough to make it a fun challenge. Ben tried to hurl, but he had already lost what little food was in his belly. And besides, the baby needed that food more than he did.

What kind of Jedi let himself be taken by both Nightsisters and the Zyggerian Queen? The only answer Ben knew was one that wasn't very good. At times, he wondered if this was a punishment for his love of Satine. They had both been young, though, so he figured that no one would truly care. Had the Force cared? Had the Force been quietly waiting for just the right time to punish him? Ben quietly stood up as best he could and grabbed his pants. They were just loose great sweatpants, the only clothes that Savage would give him, but they felt like armor to his battered body. He stumbled up and found a slow moving stream so he could wash himself. Ben moved with fumbling fingers, but he was still unnerved by all that had happened.

_I hope whatever potion they used didn't hurt the baby._

His hand dropped to his belly as he waded in. The water was cold, enough that he started shivering, but he'd taken worse. The Zyggerian slavers had been fond of hosing off the stock with high powered water hoses when things got a little too rank. They hadn't provided a place to use the toilet, either. The only thing you could do was dedicate a corner of the room to bathroom duties and hope that they decided to wash the cages out. Ben washed as best he could. He had no soap, only water, but he managed to get the worst of the filth off of him. Ben gave a tired whine as he dressed and went back to the camp fire. The small clothes and the shirt were beyond repair.

"Master is going to kill me," he softly said. Ben gathered up the remains of his clothes and wondered if they could be repaired. He was just a slave, so he only had two sets of clothing. And this... this was it, now. The clothes on his back were the only clothes he had. The rest was on the ship, but Ben figured that he wasn't allowed to go there. Besides, he didn't have the code to start it.

The kind witch with blue eyes glanced over at him. "I don't think so," she softly said. "It's just clothes, you know. Nothing irreplaceable." Something changed in her expression and she placed a hand over his belly. "The child is fine, by the way. I don't think the potion affected it at all." The witch glanced up at him. "I'm the village healer. Would you like to know if it's a boy or a girl?" There was something pleading in her eyes, so Ben nodded. Besides, who was a slave to tell a free person no? "It's a girl. Congratulations. Savage must be so proud."

"It's not his." Ben closed his eyes and tried to will away the tears. Like all the others, she'd hurt him. She had taken things away from him that he couldn't ever get back. His first time with a woman was one of them. The other was a little bit of his sanity.

"Oh?" The witch gave him a dry look. "Does he know about this?"

Ben nodded. "His... name is Baya. He was my friend and... we started kissing. It had been a long day and the next thing I knew, I was on my knees and he was... he was having his way. But it felt good and I didn't hurt, so I let him." Ben shrugged some and looked at the ground. "I even came, so I must have liked it." He'd never came before that and he'd thought he was dying. Baya just laughed and made him come three more times until he was totally spent.

"You must have." The witch smiled at him like one might smile at a particularly dull small child. "You came for me and the others. I'd say that you enjoyed yourself, you know. Not many humans get to do this."

He'd hated it, every second of it, but he forced himself to nod and curl into her arms as they stared at the fire. Sleep was a long time in coming, but when he dreamed, he dreamed of Maul and a strange human woman. There was nothing odd in that, he hoped. Just that it was from the stress. Ben was almost beyond caring, though. He tightened his arm around his belly in his sleep. He had no way of knowing that the potion that had been forced on him hadn't just forced his body into overdrive. It had also strengthened his daughter.


	12. The Liar

Savage didn't know what to think, but if he saw Ben again, it was going to be too soon. Oh, he was sorry. He meant _Obi-Wan Kenobi_. The Jedi Master who was supposed to be dead. The man who died on Zyggeria and had his body tossed to the nexus. Well, Savage was pretty mad at his slave. Not only had the son of a bitch been pregnant, he had also hurt his brother. Savage might not have known Maul, but after he lost Feral... no one hurt his brothers and got away with it. No matter how pretty they were and how soft those blue eyes were. The Zabrak growled under his breath as he stalked through the village. The other males shied away from them, but Savage ignored them. He usually talked to the other mated males, but right now he was fuming and he needed to get this over with.

Obi-Wan was drawing water out of a well. There was a drawn look to him and he moved with the shame of someone recently bred by the witches. Well, Savage didn't care. He marched over and grabbed the man, pinning him to the wall. Obi-Wan jumped. The bucket of water went all over Savage and that did nothing to help the other Zabrak's mood. He snarled low, fire in his golden eyes. Obi-Wan seemed to crumple in on himself. He wrapped arms around his belly and slunk to his knees without a fight. Well then. Savage glared at him long and hard, trying to get this over with. His brother hadn't been lying. In his own crazy way, Maul had been trying to protect his brother. Now he was recovering with the witches.

"Care to explain?" Savage hissed. He didn't let Obi-Wan off.

"Care to explain what, Master?" Obi-Wan softly asked. He grabbed for the bucket, but Savage kicked it away. Obi-Wan looked around and shame colored his features. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't know they would take me like that and I didn't know that you wanted me for yourself!" The last part was a wail, but Savage wasn't amused. He simply glared at the man, trying to put his thoughts together.

"You are Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi," Savage softly said. "You lied. You called yourself Ben and you made me think that my brother was insane. The very same brother who was trying his best to protect me. Now tell me why I should let you back on my ship. Will you betray us to the Jedi next? Tell them that my brother is still alive and send Skywalker to do the job? I can't _believe_ I trusted you." He rubbed his horns and glared at the cowering man. Obi-Wan was shaking now, his body trembling as he realized what was about to happen. "How _could_ you? After I fed you, clothed you, took the piercings out, treated your wounds... how could you lie to me like that? It's not me that I'm mad about--you put my brother in danger!"

"I'm sorry." Obi-Wan hugged himself and sniffed some. He sagged back against the well. "It's... It's just that there are people who like to torture Jedi. It happened to me on Brandomeer and I barely escaped with my life. I just didn't want to risk it again." He looked down some and closed his eyes. "They won't come back for me. I'm tainted. Pregnant, off my heat medication, but I won't need that anymore for a little bit." Obi-Wan smiled bitterly. "I'm not a virgin and I probably enjoyed some of it. They don't want me."

"You're still Master Kenobi and you still lied to me." Savage grabbed Obi-Wan by the shoulders and marched him back to the ship. He didn't know what to do. Obi-Wan was his property and that meant that he owned something that could be used to make Force sensitive babies. Dooku had a couple of Yavinese and a Stewjoni that he had bitched that way. He would be well within his rights to do that to Obi-Wan. The first thing he did was clamp that nasty looking collar back on his throat and lock the man in the brig. He would deal with the Jedi later. As it sat, he needed to talk with his brother. Savage left the ship quickly and went to talk with Maul. He needed to get a plan together.

Savage had no intention of staying on Dathomir. He was taking Maul and he might leave Obi-Wan.

Maul sat in the corner, swaddled in blankets. Since he was Talzin's oldest son, he got special privilege that the other males didn't. Soft golden eyes met his and Maul released a wounded sound. Savage sat beside his brother. He nuzzled the red Zabrak and purred. He didn't remember Maul, but that meant nothing. He could have another brother. No one would ever replace Feral, but this would come close. His hand quietly splayed over Maul's face as he memorized the tattoos and the markings. He hoped that his brother would see sense and leave with him. He had a ship and he had good fuel cores. There was nothing forcing him to stay on Dathomir. The witches never paid much mind to the males anyways.

"Brother." Savage hugged the other male. He needed to get used to this new brother before he tried anything. "I'm... I'm sorry that I didn't believe you. He hurt you, didn't he? Would you like revenge?" A part of him felt repulsed at the thought of hurting Obi-Wan, but he forced it right back down. The slave needed to know his place.

Maul laughed softly. "I have revenge. He's a slave, he belongs to my brother, and I can do whatever I want. He's also pregnant and that Order of his no longer wants him." The Zabrak had a nice voice, but there was something wounded in his features. Savage didn't know what it was. He just hoped that his brother would get better, and soon. "What's not to like? Someone else did all the dirty work for me. I don't have to waste my time or bloody my hands in that manner. I can just sit back and enjoy the fruits of someone else's works."

"What do you want to do with him?" Savage asked. "He lies. I can't have that on my ship."

"You can." Maul rested his head on his brother's shoulders. "Take him with you. I want to see that little Jedi live the rest of his life serving the both of us. It's the least he could do for killing me."

"What if I have feelings for him?" Savage softly admitted.

Maul shrugged and offered a bit of a crooked grin. "Oh, that's the fun part. You'll see. Watch him fall in love and he'll just squirm trying to rationalize that with his Code." The red Zabrak snorted some and closed his eyes. "Stay with me, brother?" That last part was so quiet that Savage almost didn't hear it, but he squeezed one thin hand.

"Of course," he softly said. "Of course I'll stay with you." And he stayed there all through the night.


	13. What Have You Done?

Obi-Wan didn't know what to do. It was like he was an outcast in this village. After what he'd done to Savage and Maul, no one even bothered to look at him. He was just ignored. Or, better yet, he was given orders and forced to obey them. At least Savage didn't put that collar back on him. But he wasn't allowed to curl up with the other man, nor sleep in the same room. It might have been strange for others to see, but Obi-Wan felt safe in Savage's arms. He felt protected. Secured. Like no one was going to take him away, ever again. The massive yellow Zabrak might have protected him before, but Obi-Wan knew he wouldn't now. Not after he had let the other man believe that he was just a slave by the name of Ben.

He sat down on the well worn steps, cradling his belly. Thanks to the better food, he was starting to get bigger faster. Now, he wouldn't be giving birth in six months like he was a Yavinese, but he would still have a child. It would be healthy and strong. A daughter, if you believed what the witches said. Obi-Wan wasn't sure if he did or didn't. They hadn't given him any reason for him to trust them before. Not after what they had done to him. Obi-Wan lowered his head and tried not to cry. He wanted to go _home_. Back to the Jedi Temple. Back to Anakin and Ahsoka and all the others. Even the ones that he had argued with so many times. Maybe they had known better. Maybe he'd just been a fool.

After a few minutes, Savage sat beside him. The Zabrak looked grim, but he made no move to strike Obi-Wan. He just sat there, looking at the now visibly pregnant slave. Obi-Wan lowered his head. What could he say that would make it all better? He couldn't, so he wouldn't even try. The yellow Zabrak looked at his nails some and growled softly. "If I had known you were a Jedi, I don't think I would have gotten you," Savage admitted. Then he sighed and lowered his head. "And if I hadn't gotten you, I might have missed out on a lot of things." He paused. "Like food I can actually eat. Neither my brother nor I can cook worth a damn and you can't exactly buy take out on this planet."

"Can I stay with you?" Obi-Wan softly asked. He dared to look up. Savage shrugged some. "I won't lie to you again, I promise." He meant it, too. For the first time, Obi-Wan wished that Savage had the Force. If he had that, he could tell when Obi-Wan was really and truly meaning what he said. Like now. "I just... I couldn't tell anyone. The things they did to me... I couldn't, because I didn't want it to happen again."

Savage grumbled some. "What do you mean by "stay with me"? If you're wanting to sleep in my bed, I don't know if I can do that yet. The Jedi and I have a long history and none of it's a good one. I don't need the extra anxiety on top of everything else." He must have caught Obi-Wan's pitiful look, because he sighed and rubbed his chin. "But I can do a cot at the foot of the bed. Sound fair?"

"It sounds too fair." Obi-Wan looked away. He didn't deserve this.

"You haven't heard the rest of it," Savage warned. The Zabraj stood up and gathered Obi-Wan into his arms. Obi-Wan melted almost instantly. It was true, he really did feel better once he was surrounded by a wall of warm Zabrak. He managed one of his ragged purrs. It sounded nothing like what he used to do when he was comforting Anakin, but it was all he could do to thank his Master. Savage sighed and scooped him up, carrying him into a low ceilinged cabin. It was plain on the inside, except for a rough table and rushes on the floor. Blankets and pillows around a scoop shaped nest in the floor showed the sleeping places. "You'll also be cooking and cleaning for two hungry Zabraks. Understood?"

It was still too generous if you asked Obi-Wan, but he wasn't going to fight with his Master. He murmured the right words and curled up in the warm nest that smelled like Savage. He figured there was still a few hours until time to eat. It didn't take long before someone leaned over his body and put one thin hand over his belly. Obi-Wan froze up. Maul just smiled at him. There was still a trace of madness in his golden eyes, but he didn't look like he was going to start killing at the drop of a hat. Maul stroked over his belly, just to touch him, and just to feel the baby kick. Obi-Wan whined in fear. He was at Maul's mercy now. This was the man he had almost killed. And now, Maul was free and Obi-Wan was a slave.

Maul shook his head. "How the mighty have fallen," he murmured. He still had that voice of his, beautiful and smoother than silk. The voice of a voice over artist, not a Sith who killed for the fun of it. Maul laughed softly and shook his head. "I don't kill for the fun of it, little Jedi. If I did, you and your child would be dead right now. My brother is foolish to think that mere words would stop a Sith from doing what he wants."

"What do you want, Maul?" Obi-Wan struggled to sit up. He was getting too big for this and just wanted to get the entire pregnancy over with. And then he'd have to deal with milk, which was another fight, but what else could he do? It had been his choice to sleep with Baya and now he had to deal with the fallout of it. He was too tired for this, too.

"I just wanted to see what utter defeat looks like," Maul shrugged. "Pregnant, a slave, and sleeping on the floor like a common animal. Not very fetching, is it?"

"At least I'm not a half mad spider creature," Obi-Wan snapped. "Pregnant I can deal with. I've been pregnant for at least five months now, if not longer. But having spider legs sticking out of my body? I don't think so!"

Maul reared back like he was about to slap Obi-Wan, but he thought the better of it. Instead, the red Zabrak smirked. "You know what? I'm hungry. I think I would like that little satay meal you used to get on Coruscant. The sauce, the meat, the onions, and the peppers, and all the garlic, you know, I've been really wanting that. And couscous. So why don't you make me some, _slave_?"

"If you think you're going to insult me by calling me a slave, you're sadly mistaken." Obi-Wan staggered up and grabbed a comm-pad. Now he had to figure out how to cook for the man he just angered. And find time to sleep in the meantime. Wasn't this going to be fun?


	14. What I Came Home Too

Savage needed to get out of here. For all he knew, this was going to go down badly. He was a free male, unbound by any witch, and he was on a planet where witchs ruled everything. Dathomir was paradise for the witches and hell for the Nightbrothers. There was only so much he could do, looking around and watching the other males be treated like dirt. It made his blood boil just to watch some of it. He cursed under his breath, walking through the village. He had his very own male slave, who was now visibly pregnant, and he had his crazy brother. He wasn't going to turn Maul over to the witches, not if he had anything to say about it. He rubbed his forehead, trying to keep everything under control. They needed to get out of here.

Soon, too. It was hard for him to look at all of the ones who were being hurt. Some of these males, he had grown up with. He would see Snarl, full of wounds and bruises, or a much too skinny looking Claw. It made him pretty mad just to look at them, so he was trying to keep away from the main village. It was just too much for him to deal with right now. He sighed as he started to walk, looking around. It was so hard coming back to here. He had only been gone for a few years, but he'd had a taste of what life could he like. And he wanted that. He wanted that life where he could be free and do what he wanted to do. You couldn't have that on Dathomir. You belonged to the witches and when they said jump, you asked how high.

The cold stone hurt his feet as he walked. How had he lived like this? How had he grown up like this and not known that it was bad or wrong? That the witches weren't living goddesses and he could say no? Savage shuddered as he walked. And to think that he would have done the same to Obi-Wan... Savage didn't think that he could have lived with himself if he did something like that. And Obi-Wan couldn't tell him no. Obi-Wan might have been a Jedi Knight once, but now he was a slave and there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't stop Savage if he decided that he was going to take his pleasure from him right now. Just bend him over a counter and take him. It didn't matter if he made Obi-Wan bleed and tear. He could do whatever he wanted and there was nothing that Obi-Wan could do.

Savage decided that he didn't like having that much power over another being. It was very wrong and it was going to make him something that he wasn't if he wasn't very careful. He wandered back to their hut, trying to figure out what he was supposed to do. He needed to get out of here. He would have to take Obi-Wan and Maul with him. Feral was dead, thanks to him, and he was going to have to keep them with him if he wanted to survive. He stared at the long rushes, cursing softly. He didn't know how he was going to do this. Yeah, he still had the chip around his neck, but the witches had the power to raise the dead. Savage was getting the feeling that if he shot them with a laser cannon, that the zombies were going to still make it.

He pushed against the rough wooden door, looking at the simple surroundings. The rough hewn, hard surroundings. When he was younger, he had rasped the benches the witches had sat on into platters of splinters. That had been fun. As far as he knew, the witches still didn't know who did it. He didn't know if they even remembered what he did. Knowing his luck, they probably did. They probably did and they were just waiting for a chance to get him back. Savage gritted his teeth as he walked through the little place. He huffed a little bit, tired of all of this, and then he started drooling. One of the things he was smelling was some mixture of spices and meat that smelled heavenly.

"Maul?" Savage pressed through the place, smelling the air. And he really was starting to drool. During his year or so of freedom, he had really started loving all the flavors you could get as a free man. It wasn't just the drool you got as a slave. You got some much better food there than you ever would. Not even the witches could cook something like that.

Maul looked up from where he was sitting and gave a cool smile. "Ahh, brother mine. You've finally returned." He glanced around some. "You really made a wise investment with that one. If not for you, then for me, and I rather like watch that one work." He picked at his plate of food. Savage noticed that Obi-Wan was on the floor, looking rather defeated. Savage made a bit of a strangled sound. This was _not_ what he had had in mind... Maul started slurping down the noodles. "He cooks very well. Better than I thought a Jedi Knight ever would."

"Don't harass him." Savage rubbed his face. "He's to sit at the table with us. I don't want you to push him beyond his limits. No sexual contact with him of any kind. Don't push him, either. He's pregnant and he's been through a lot."

"Thank you, Master," Obi-Wan whispered. He sat at the table and grabbed his own portion.  Savage ignored him. This wasn't the time for him  to get all lovey dovey with his slave.

"But he's still your slave. What's he supposed to do?" Maul whined. He passed the food towards Savage. It was very good, nicely spiced, and the meat was the best part. He wasn't sure where Obi-Wan got the rice from. That wasn't something most Nightbrothers had easy access too. He still ate, watching his brother. Maul wolfed the food down and licked up the bowl. Obi-Wan did nothing. He just sat there and ate his own food. He wasn't eating much, just enough to slake his hunger, and there Maul was, eating his food like it was going out of style. There were some things that Savage would never understand and that brother of his was one of them.

"We're not going to hurt him," Savage growled. He finished his food. "Let's get going. We need to leave."

"Huh?"

Savage moved quickly and grabbed Maul. "Obi-Wan, come on. We're getting on that ship and we're getting out of here. I don't care anymore, I'm just getting out of here before something bad happens." He frogmarched Maul to the door, Obi-Wan at his heels. Savage tried to look like he knew what he was doing, but in reality, he was so scared. He had no idea what he was doing. He just hoped that the witches were having an off day, otherwise he was screwed.


	15. Escape

Obi-Wan was heavily pregnant and in no shape to go hiking through Dathomir. Neither was Maul, but Obi-Wan really didn't care about the crazy Zabrak. At least Maul's functions had been restored to him. He wasn't as creepy as he had been before. And that was a wonder. Obi-Wan didn't know if he could have survived being cooped up in a small house with Darth Maul. Not with that heavy child in him. He grimaced as Savage lead them down a path. At least this one looked like it had been hacked out and not simply trampled by animals. Here and there, a few places even had what looked like paving stones. Savage seemed to know where he was going and soon they were plunged into the dense, green jungle.

Here and there were patches of brilliant scarlet and cobalt, but otherwise it was _green_. Massive walls of ferns climbed up earthen walls and one could here the streams chattering in the distance. Birds flew high over head... or what he could make of them. It was as if they had been swallowed by the forest. This had to be a forest, not a jungle, because clouds of col mist clung through the air. They passed by what was essentially the back door of a swamp. A few frogs and birds were sitting in the middle of it, but nothing else. Obi-Wan still got a bad feeling, though. That was when the child within him kicked and he groaned, rubbing at the belly. Maul, who was still shorter than him, snorted.

"Maybe you shouldn't have slept around, hmm?" the Zabrak lightly said. His sharp  golden eyes trailed over Obi-Wan's swollen middle. "That just doesn't look very comfortable. Did the Jedi not teach you about contraceptives?"

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "I was a slave on Kesh and Zyggeria. Didn't exactly have the chance to take pills or herbs and when they tried to breed me, they didn't use a condom." _Thank the Force that humans and Keshiri can't hybridize_. If they could, Obi-Wan would have been pregnant so many times that he feared he might have died from it. Slaves died in childbirth all the time.

Savage turned. "The both of you can stop fighting. Maul, don't antagonize my slave. Obi-Wan, don't bother my brother or I'll find some task for you to do, got it?"

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan tried to be the good slave, but it was so hard. Especially since they were hiking through a thick forest. And he was so tired. Sweat gleamed at his brow and he was starting to pant. He was starting to feel like that little story he'd read when he was a child, about the dogs who escaped an evil woman. The youngest and weakest had been pulled in a cart. Obi-Wan wished that he could ride in a cart like that. It would certainly make him walking that much easier. And his belly was starting to hurt him. Obi-Wan wondered if his daughter was from a human rather than a Twi'lek. Twi'lek hybrids tended to be small upon birth. The child in his belly felt like it was huge.

Savage stopped them after a few moments. Soon, Obi-Wan could here why. He could hear the jangle of bits and bridles as what looked to be a wandering party of traders went up the road. The horses, fine boned grey animals, didn't even look at the three males, but the witches did. Obi-Wan cringed. Maul looked bored. Savage looked like he was going for his blaster. The witches passed by after a few minutes. Obi-Wan tried not to think about riding to the place where they stored that ship. Could a pregnant person even ride a horse? He didn't even bother to ask as they started walking again. Obi-Wan just wanted this to be over with. Why did Savage have to hide his ship so far away?

"So the witches wouldn't take it." Maul gave him a long look. "You broadcast like a radio, by the way. But the ship is hidden so they won't think about it. Out of sight, out of mind. Most creatures work that way."

"Not your Master," Obi-Wan murmured. He risked touching the other male. "I... I'm sorry. For what I did to you. How I hurt you." And not just because he was now a slave and the other a free man. It had weighed heavily on him. During his fight with Maul, he had used the Dark Side. The Council had wanted to throw him out, but only the tantrum of the Chosen One had saved him. It had galled him, to be kept a Jedi at the whim of a child, but he got used to it. Obi-Wan  just turned his head. He climbed the last hill and groaned with relief when he saw the ship. Savage had dropped it in what looked to be fairly inaccessible. Maybe he did think that the witches had forgotten it.

Obi-Wan wasn't so sure.

He knew they hadn't when the first arrows came flying out of nowhere. They shredded the sleeve of his shirt, causing him to cry out. Savage suddenly yanked the ship open and shoved the both of them in it first. Obi-Wan took shelter behind a crate. He cursed his big belly and trembled with fear as he watched arrows rain down in the hold. From the looks of them, they had been enhanced. Savage stood at the side of the bay and started lowering the gate. Obi-Wan wanted to cry out when he heard the welcome _plink_ of arrows striking sheet metal. Never had he welcomed the sound of a bay door closing, but he did now. Savage raced for the cockpit. Maul got up quickly and followed his brother.

That left Obi-Wan. He hurried up there too, but he was far slower than any of the others. For all he knew, the ship was going down. Savage shook his head as he keyed something in. The big ship roared to life. Those too close to the exhaust were charred to ash almost instantly. Obi-Wan knew he wouldn't be mourning those witches anytime soon. They were evil. He slumped back into a seat and closed his eyes. Obi-Wan wanted to go home, but he knew that was no longer an option. He had no home.

Maul poked his head up. "The Force is telling me to take us to Naboo. You?"

Savage nodded. "Same." And then he programmed the ship. Next thing Obi-Wan knew, they were in hyperspace and leaving Dathomir far behind.


	16. Naboo

Savage wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone right about now. He was tired, he had a headache, and an arrow grazed his side. Yeah, that hurt. And he really didn't like it. What he needed to do was time alone in the medical bay. He had that right now. The Zabrak smiled softly as he applied the bacta soaked bandages to his injuries. A few months ago, he wouldn't have been able to do this. He would have been forced to leave his injuries where they could fester. He didn't like the idea of that, so Savage just wasn't going to go there. The Zabrak sighed softly as he cleaned everything up. Obi-Wan was huge. He was surprised that the man was even walking around as much as he did.

Were pregnant people supposed to walk around? What about very pregnant people? Savage had no idea and he needed to figure this out before he really messed something up. The man sighed softly as he went through his things. He... didn't have much. Just enough to care for the three of them. What would Obi-Wan need when he gave birth? And what about Naboo? How was he going to deal with that one? Did the Nabu keep slaves? Or did they act like they were better than that and refuse to do that? Savage swallowed softly as he went through his things. He started putting everything up and once he was done, he started getting things ready for when Obi-Wan would have his kid. He knew that Zabrak kits tended to be small, so all he really needed was rags and a clamp for the umbilical cord.

Right? Wasn't that all he needed? It was all a Zabrak needed and as far as Savage knew, they were both the same. After all, a human and a Zabrak were close enough together to breed... That meant that they needed the same things for birth? He would have to look that up later. But for now, Obi-Wan would have to content himself with what he had. He had food, water, and a warm bed to sleep in. He surely didn't need much more than that. Savage hummed as he arranged things for... whoever he was bringing on this ship. Maul was a Sith and at times, a Sith did have a mate. He seemed to think this 'mate' of his was on Naboo. Savage had no idea what this entire thing entailed. He just didn't want Obi-Wan to get any ideas.

For all he knew, Obi-Wan was carrying the Nar Shadda clap and that baby was going to be born dead, if it was born at all.

Maul slept in the guest room currently. His 'mate' would be sleeping in the unused crew quarters. Obi-Wan would be sleeping in his bed, where be belonged. Savage fluffed up the pillows he had added. He had tossed several fleecy blankets in his bed, too. Hopefully it looked enough like a nest that those raging hormones would feel satisfied. The yellow Zabrak nodded to himself as he looked at his handiwork. It was time to check on the others. He slipped through the rest of the ship and checked the navigational droid first. It was doing fine, checked into it's own little world. Maul was going through his library of leather bound books. What the red Zabrak saw in those was anyone's guess.

Obi-Wan had curled up on the bridge. He slumped in the chair, one hand on his big belly, as he watched the shifting lights of hyperspace. He didn't even turn around as Savage came in. "It looks so peaceful," the human mused. "All the pretty colors. The blues, the whites, the black... makes you wonder what kind of thing could live in there."

"My brother could tell you about Lord Jarrow Rusher and how he called the hyperspace beasts to his aide. They called him 'Beastmaster', if I'm getting my facts straight." Savage rested one hand on his slave's shoulder. Obi-Wan didn't say anything as he was reminded of his place. That was good. That meant this Jedi could be trained. Savage didn't think that Obi-Wan was still a Jedi, though. He was going to give birth to a child. "We're going to Naboo, by the way. Same place where you tried to kill him."

"I should have aimed for his head," Obi-Wan mumbled. He pressed close to the older Zabrak and just watched the shifting light. They would soon be out of hyperspace. It would be like watching a supernova to watch a ship drop from hyperspace. Obi-Wan sighed. He didn't even bother to look away as Savage started taking the ship out of hyperspace and back to the shipping lane. The human hummed. "Would have been better on everyone, y'know. I would have kept Qui-Gon. Padme wouldn't have nearly lost her life. I wouldn't be here. I would still train Anakin. That was always Master's wishes for me, that I train the Chosen One. Maul would have been dead and I would be a free man."

Savage grunted as he steered the ship around floating space junk. It looked like one of the cargo carriers had lost a few crates. Those huge boxes were actually navigational hazards. He thought that some Neo-Pan ship had been caught in a galactic storm. That was a common thing. The scavengers would soon collect it and sell it to... who knew where. Before long, the beautiful blues and greens of Naboo came into view. Savage glanced down at the readings. Class A plasma and water planet, proceed with caution because the ionosphere could mess you up if you didn't respect it. Savage clicked away from the warnings. His ship was good and strong. She had no fuel leaks and a good hyperdrive. They were _fine_.

He bit his lip in concentration as he joined the freight stream. Other, larger ships zipped overhead. They had better shielding than he did, something that came from dealing with pirates. Smaller skiffs joined the fray. Those small, light personal crafts seemed to dance around the big ones coming in for a landing. The entire thing seemed to be painted by blue gas jets and hissing steam made it hard to see at times. Some of those older ships used coal oil and it was too expensive to convert them. Savage eased his smaller caravel around the ships and tried to nose her into the line up. Some Corellian YT ship jumped line, though. She clipped his tailfins and if this had been a better ship, Savage would have been calling a lawyer.

The delicate stonework of the city rose in dramatic spirals as he descended down. He was starting to get mist from some of the waterfalls that crossed the planet. Some idiot on a thranta tried to join the line, only to get shunted to his section by the local authorities. A corvette, heavily laden by the way she was twisting, struggled to keep pace. Savage wondered if she needed to piggyback off of a larger ship. He held his own ship steady and tried not to use the wipers too much. Those things were hard to replace as he was. A lumbering old scow, probably owned by Theed City, took place behind him and started riding his _shebs_. If Savage had been petty, he would have slowed down.

They landed after a few minutes. Maul seemed to know where to go and took off. Savage simply took Obi-Wan's hand and followed him. Whatever else happened, he wasn't losing Obi-Wan. Not just yet.


	17. Sache

It had been a long time since Obi-Wan had gone to Naboo. For a time, even thinking about the planet had brought him pain. He had lost his Master there and began the downward spiral that would eventually steal his freedom. He hadn't known it then, of course. He just knew that he was fighting a Sith and he'd lost his Master. After all these years, it still hurt. He still didn't want to think about what happened that day. Just the sheer helplessness of knowing that he couldn't do anything about it usually made his stomach turn. After all that Obi-Wan had done for the Order, after all that he had lost, they had still left him to die on Zyggeria. Even if they would take him back, which was unlikely, he wasn't sure if he wanted to go or not.

Obi-Wan followed the other two through the narrow streets, hoping no one would recognize him. Women wearing colorful clothing herded shaaks and nerfs through the streets, their tusk cats keeping people back. One woman, wearing a brilliant red cloak, snapped a curse at Maul as he got too close. The Zabrak bowed his head, not even fighting with her. Someone else was selling flowers in front of an elaborately carved temple. Doing from the wreaths of flowers and herbs that decorated the place, that was what that god asked for. Someone was riding a large halthi through the streets and traffic diverted around the animal's massive legs. People swarmed all around them, all through the cobblestoned streets, and thronged anywhere the sidewalks opened up.

Merchants dropped meats rolled in spices in great vats of boiling oil. Stray dogs darted under foot, sending the wild birds into the sky like a squawking wave. Obi-Wan thought he saw a tooka, lounging in the corner of a stained glass window, but they were gone too quickly for him to get a good look. A large fountain dominated the next square they passed, with the imported horses and the native pack animals drinking from one side and people getting water from the other. It seemed to depict the goddess of victory, mounted on a tusk cat, but the other figures had been lost to time and weather. The marble itself, once a shining white, had been turned dull and grey with age.

The narrow streets grew even narrower still, with tiny plots of green and shrines carved into whatever space they could find. Ropes of wash were suspended from second story, giving the place the feel of an immense blanket fort. The sidewalk gave way to a small lane in the center of two massive buildings and finally ended in the center of a small garden. Obi-Wan sat down, wary of the crushed shell path. His back _ached_. The child was going to be a large one, probably thanks to his better nutrition and care, but that didn't mean things would be easy on him. He closed his eyes for a few minutes, soaking up the warmth from the stars. Naboo was a cold planet and that was why the Nabu draped themselves in all sorts of robes, but Obi-Wan was Stewjoni.

To him, this was a warm summer day and he was going to enjoy it while it lasted. Zyggeria and Genosis had been hotter than hell, so Naboo was a nice change. Maybe he'd retire here. After the war ended and someone killed Savage, of course.

After a few minutes, Obi-Wan cracked open one blue eye. Savage sat beside him, looking over his nails. The entire garden had been drenched in sunlight. Lavender, forced into an elaborate pattern by the head gardener, lined both sides of the path with tall rushes poking up between them. He could see a rose tree over beside a white statue and more azalea bushes. He thought there were a few day lilies, too, but that would have required getting up and looking. Obi-Wan was going to rest for a little bit. He waited for Maul to get done with whatever he was doing and instead watched the bees do their thing. They seemed to love the lavender. The Jedi wondered how many people got stung because of that little yard feature.

"It's been a long time," Maul quietly said. Obi-Wan looked up, surprised to see the red Zabrak leading a dark eyed girl from behind a hedge. She looked over at him like she didn't  think he was real. Going from the robes, she was minor nobility, but that didn't rule out her being a gardener. Her long hair, dark as midnight, had been bound up in a braid. She didn't have a scarf, which the more traditional Nabu women preferred, but there was that quiet strength about her. She squeezed his hand and again, Obi-Wan thought she didn't think Maul was real. She seemed on the verge of tears, which could be a very good thing or a very bad thing. Knowing that demon Zabrak, Obi-Wan thought it was bad.

Then she threw her arms around him and cried. "I thought you were dead! I thought they killed you! Couldn't you use that space magic powers of yours to let me know you were _alive_?! You could have sent me a dream! Or a post card!" she yelled. Pain and something else crossed her features. "I thought you were _dead_ , Maul. I really and truly thought you had finally kicked the bucket!"

"It takes a lot to keep a good Sith down," Maul replied. He grinned, only to dodge what looked like an angry slap. The woman's dark eyes seemed to spark in anger as she glared at him. Maul very visibly swallowed. "Sache, I'm sorry I didn't write. Next time I'm losing my mind on a trash planet and trying not to eat people, I'll let you know, alright?" He shook his head, like he couldn't believe what she was saying. Obi-Wan hated to break it to him, but hell had no fury like a woman scorned. Whatever he was to her, he needed to get back in her good graces. If he could.

Sache crossed her arms. "Then I could have gotten you medicine and help," she said. "Especially for those wounds of yours. I could have had them get you your legs back. It takes about a day for the tissue to start to die..."

"And lose your post as handmaiden?" Maul asked. He drew her into a hug, nuzzling into the crook of her neck. She just had plain brown robes, not unlike a Jedi monk. Obi-Wan saw that the glass bangles used by most Nabu women to advertise that they were ready for marriage were gone. But she didn't have a beaded headpiece. Nor did she wear any of the gold. Maul shook his head as he let her go again. "I could do that to you, Sache. Not after all that you tried to do. And even after all of that... It wasn't enough. I still did it."

"I resigned my post as soon as Padme would let me." Sache put her hands on her hips. "This is your memory garden, mister. And you better help me get things in order before we fix the mess you made."

Obi-Wan turned to Savage. "I like this girl," the former Jedi chirped. "Someone needs to keep your brother on the straight and narrow!"

Sache rolled her eyes as she came over. "You, Master Jedi," she said, "can help by fixing that fountain in the corner. We'll leave this in the property of the Queen before we go. Are we ready?"

"We are." Obi-Wan mock bowed as he got up, which earned him a grin. He shook his head as he looked at the fountain. Well, he'd needed a challenge like this for a long time. He could just dive right in. And so, he did and he had a blast doing it.


	18. Storm Warnings

They needed to get out of here. Savage was pretty sure that they had spent too long on Naboo as it was. Yes, Sache was nice. And she clearly cared for Maul: she knew just where to rub him. It turned out that the prosthetics he'd made for himself had messed up his muscles in a bad way. Maul had aching pains that could flare up and cause him agony that flared through the Force. It was strong enough that _Savage_ could feel it. He didn't know how Obi-Wan could deal with it, especially with the child in his belly. That child had to be strong in the Force. Savage wondered if that child was passing it's fear on to Obi-Wan. That had to be hard. All that pain coming from Maul and all the fear from the baby, it was a miracle that Obi-Wan wasn't mad.

He settled down on the bed, stroking over Obi-Wan's swollen belly. The former Jedi squirmed some, as if he didn't like the gesture. Savage rolled his eyes. Obi-Wan was so full of life that Savage really couldn't keep his hands off of him. He had never thought that a former Jedi could be so alluring to him. He would have tried to kill Obi-Wan before, but now... he liked the way the Jedi was looking. He had a bit of glow about him, a little bit of a warmth that he might not have without all of this. That baby was going to change things, though. Savage wasn't sure if he was going to like that or not. He just sighed and pulled the blanket over both their bodies. Obi-Wan seemed to like it if Savage held him at night.

"You make the baby kick," Obi-Wan mumbled. He pressed his face into Savage's neck and sighed, his eyes drifting closed. "When the baby kicks, it hurts me. And I've really had enough of being hurt, if that makes any sense to you."

"It does." Savage kissed him and smiled some. He loved burying his nose in Obi-Wan's hair. He smelled so good. He was sweet like milk. There might have been a bit of a kick there, but Savage was willing to take it. Something was off, though. He got up and left Obi-Wan under the blankets. The Zabrak bit his bottom lip as he walked through the ship. Going by what he could feel, Maul and Sache were making up for lost time. She wasn't just massaging the pain from his muscles, too. They were doing other things that Savage really didn't want to see. Maybe it was his Dathomirian upbringing, but he never had been very interested in females of any sort. He'd seen males abused too many times for that to happen.

Something was out there. Savage didn't know what, but he knew it was there. It was lurking, just out there in the distance. It made Savage shudder as he tried to brush against it. Asajj had never taught him how to use the Force. She knew he had it, but she hadn't cared to explore it with him. Savage closed his eyes and just let it all out there. The Force swelled around him. He could see things glowing, like they were extensions of himself and others. Maul and Sache glowed with a purple haze. Obi-Wan was a muted blue, like he was full of sadness. And himself... well, Savage couldn't see that. He turned his attention away from himself, though, and reached out to the dark thing.

It flared up and made him draw back. Savage cringed, his mind flashing back to being burned by lightning. What _was_ that thing? Why was it hurting him?! What had he done? Had he hurt it? Took something away from it? Savage shuddered as images flashed before his eyes. A temple burning and people dying. Flames that turned the sky a deep blood red. An army of men that looked alike, killing the people that trusted them the most. Those men were forced into it, though, and Savage could feel their hearts breaking as they were torn away from themselves. He could hear the people dying and smell the stench of burnt bodies. The vision wrapped all around him, drawing him deeper into the terror and the pain.

There was going to be death. Innocents killed for no other reason than they were on the wrong side of war. Savage tried to draw himself away from that, but he couldn't. It was too strong and he didn't know what to do. Savage cried out to the Force, hoping that something could help him. He thought he could see something white and shining, but it was too far away for it do anything. Savage tried once again to draw back. The darkness was getting weaker now, as if it could see that he wasn't just going to roll over and die. Savage broke from the vision with a cry. He vomited on the floor, just sitting there and shaking. The Zabrak couldn't move. He closed his yellow gold eyes, shaking like a leaf.

Gentle hands stroked over his back. "Hey," Obi-Wan whispered. The heavily pregnant Jedi stroked his shoulder. "You saw something, didn't you?"

"I saw so much death," Savage whispered. "I don't know if it's happened or not. I just felt it and it was so real..."

Obi-Wan nuzzled him. "There's nothing you can do about it," the Jedi whispered. He sighed and helped Savage back to bed. "Let's just get you back to bed, okay? That might help you out more than anything."

Savage nodded. "Thank you."

"I threw up when I had my first vision," Obi-Wan shrugged. "The bots will clean it up and we'll act like it never happened. Deal?"

"Deal." Savage wrapped himself up under the blankets. He held Obi-Wan close, not wanting to let him go. Ever.


End file.
